Happy St. Patrick's Day

You could be eligible for a cash reward if you provide information that leads to an arrest! The following subjects are currently wanted by local authorities.

Health Officials at the Buncombe County Health Center announced March 14th that a cat from the Candler area has been confirmed to have rabies.

The Board of Elections is accepting applications for Poll Workers in the operation of ten One-Stop Early Voting Sites for the May 6 Primary.

Buncombe County Sheriff Van Duncan graduated last week from first ever NC Sheriffs’ Association Leadership Institute.

If you are planning an Easter egg hunt this year, keep in mind that you want to make sure that you follow safe egg handling tips in order to avoid food borne illnesses.

During this time of drought we all become aware that we should be doing our part to conserve water around our home.

The Buncombe County 4-H Program is sponsoring a seven-week Dog Obedience Training Workshop Series...

Has your community organization cleaned up a stream? Have you enjoyed a day in the woods? Has a wild animal ever sparked your imagination?

Household Hazardous Waste and Electronics recycling day at the Landfill will be closed on Friday, March 21.

This week we are featuring some animals available for adoption from FurEver Friends. Please consider making one of these animals your "FurEver" friend by giving it a loving home.

Congratulations to Steve Blakely of Asheville for his Crockpot Chicken & Pasta Soup recipe!

Even those without a drop of Irish blood celebrate St. Paddy's Day with green food, green clothes, and green beer. This year, celebrate green on March 17th in a different way.

"Going Green" has become the slogan for doing things that are healthier for the environment. There are several things you can do to celebrate St. Patrick's Day that help your town stay green and help you eat smart and move more:

 
• If you live close to work or school, walk or ride a bike on March 17th
• Sign up for a carpool for work or for your child's school
• Walk to the bar after work for that green beer with your coworkers
• Participate in a St. Paddy's Day fun run or walk
• Cook several green vegetables for dinner instead of corned beef and cabbage
• Buy your produce and/or meats from a local farmer. Most foods travel thousands of miles before reaching the grocery store. That's a lot of fuel saved and pollution prevented if we all bought locally.
• Help clean up litter from the green spaces in your neighborhood or along the roads you travel to work. You'll get some exercise while making your town a prettier place.

Buncombe County Parks & Recreation Services has picnic shelters that are available on a rental basis:

• Buncombe County Sports Park ($15 an hour or $50 a day)
• Lake Julian Park ($50 large shelter / $35 small shelter)

For more information, visit the Buncombe County Parks & Recreation Services website or call 250-4260.

All Buncombe County Government Offices will be closed on Friday, March 21 for Good Friday.

Offices will resume normal hours on Monday, March 24.

When honeybees are scarce, fruit and vegetable growers sometimes cultivate other pollinators. The Orchard Mason Bee is the common name of a nonsocial native bee (Osmia lignaria ssp.) that pollinates spring fruit trees, flowers and vegetables.

This gentle, blue-black metallic bee does not live in hives. In nature it nests within hollow stems, woodpecker drillings and insect holes found in trees or wood. They are active for only a short period of the year. They are not aggressive and one may observe them at very close range without fear of being stung, which makes them excellent for enhancing our yards and gardens.

To learn more about orchard mason bees, go to:

How to Raise & Manage Orchard Mason Bees for the Home Garden

This year, North Carolina Arbor Day is March 21. We traditionally celebrate Arbor Day by planting a tree. But the day is also intended to remind us of the importance of maintaining healthy trees. Healthy trees are an asset to our natural environment, our urban setting, and the aesthetics and value of our home landscape.

Planting a tree is a great thing to do, but we also have a commitment to take care of the wonderful mature trees we already have. If you damage a 150 year old oak tree during a construction project or by topping, how long will it take to grow a new one when it is gone?

It is awesome to look at the old tree and contemplate that it was alive when my great, great grandfather was alive. If we plant a tree today, we can only hope that those who come after us will protect it so our great, great, great grandchildren can play in its shade.

For more information, call Buncombe County Cooperative Extension at 255-5522 or visit the Arbor Day Foundation.

Come to JobLink on Wednesday, March 19th at 3pm to learn about jobs in manufacturing, the manufacturing environment, pay rates and benefits as well as opportunities for advancement. 

At this information session, you will also learn about a five week Advanced Manufacturing Class which begins April 7th, and the North Carolina Career Readiness Certificate (NCCRC) and why you need one.

For more details, and/or to sign up to attend this session, call 250-4761.

Buncombe County has been chosen to receive $101,729 to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in the county.

Public or private voluntary organizations interested in applying for Emergency Food and Shelter Program funds must contact:

• Tracie Franklin, Buncombe County Department of Social Services at (828) 250-5664 or email her at tracie.franklin@buncombecounty.org for an application.

 The deadline for submitting applications is March 24, 2008.